Method and apparatus for increasing the efficiency of automatic winding machines



April 30, 1968 J. STAPFER 3,380,677

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INCREASING THE EFFICIENCY OF AUTOMATIC WINDINGMACHINES Filed Aug. 24, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR TnKob Sta-p mWIS/QM AT TORN EYS J. STAPFER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INCREASING THEEFFICIENCY OF April 30, 1968 3,380,677

AUTOMATIC WINDING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 24. 1964\NVENTOIZ, In K05 Qzur$0r BY QM ATTORNEYS Apnl 30, 1968 J. STAPFER3,380,677

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INCREASING THE EFFICIENCY OF AUTOMATIC WINDINGMACHINES Filed Aug. 24, 1964 s Sheets-Sheet 3 \NVENTOR I T 0L ATTORNEYSWWW" ite '1 States 3,380,677 METHOD AND APPARATU FQR lNCREASiNG THEEFFICIENCY 8F AUTUMATKC WENDENG MACHINES Jakob Stapler, Adiiswii,Zurich, Switzerland, assignor to Schweiter Engineering Works Ltd,Horgen, Switzerland, a corporation of Switzerland Filed Aug. 24, 1964,Ser. No. 391,516 Ciaims priority, appiication Switzerland, Aug. 39,1963, 19,787/63 15 Claims. (Cl. 242- 55) The present invention hasreference to an improved method for increasing the efiiciency ofautomatic winding machines as well as to an improved control mechanismfor the performance of the aforesaid method.

With automatic winding machines having a number of winding stations itis necessary upon interruption of the winding operation at a givenwinding station' brought about by yarn rupture or depletion of thedelivery cop or bobbin for instancethat the winding station which isstanding idle be brought into operable association with an automatici.e. a yarn tending or servicing apparatus which undertakes knotting ofthe yarn ends of the delivery bobbin and the wind-up bobbin, or, insofaras necessary, prior to knotting carries out exchange of the emptydelivery bobbin or cop for a full one. This is achieved, by way ofexample, in that the winding stations are arranged upon a revolvingtable or turret and thereby arc succes- 'sively guided past theautomatic or tending apparatus which is stationary. The revolving tableis then brought to standstill when a winding station possessing such anaforementioned disturbance or faulty yarn condition is located in frontof this tending apparatus or automatic.

Since the standstill time of a switched-out winding station in therelative position assumed with respect to the tending apparatus orautomatic for removing yarn rupture and for exchanging the deliverybobbin is unproductive, the time necessary for again bringing thewinding station into operation should be held as small as possible. Thisbecomes of even greater importance if there is considered thepossibility that at the same time more than one winding location orstation can be standing idle.

A short standstill time or reduction of the same is achieved in that, onthe one hand, the bringing of the yarn to the 'knotter takes place withas large a speed as possible in dependence upon the yarn quality and, onthe other hand, for an eventual required delivery bobbin-exchange a newdelivery bobbin is always located in its preparatory or ready position.

Furthermore, a long waiting or idle time can also be prevented in thatthe determination for a standing idle winding station whether only yarnrupture must be remedied or, however, a delivery bobbin-exchange is tobe undertaken, is already undertaken before such winding location issituated opposite the yarn rupture removal and delivery bobbin-exchangeapparatus. Such an apparatus is disclosed in the commonly assigned,co-pending United States patent application Ser. No. 360,226, filed Apr.16, 1964, now United States Patent 3,304,015 gran-ted Feb. -14, 1967,invented by Rudolf Jenny and entitled, Method and Apparatus for theProcessing of Undesired Yarn Conditions Appearing at an AutomaticWinding Machine. The therein disclosed apparatus is constructed suchthat feelers monitor or supervise the yarn travel at a winding stationas well as also the available quantity or volume of yarn at the deliverycop. Upon interruption of the yarn travel at a given winding station thefeelers respond and influence appropriate signal storage elements, suchas impact means, through the intermediary of a lever system forinstance, with such impact means being associated with the windingstation. Upon proper operable positioning of the associated Windingstation with respect to the tending apparatus or automatic for removingthe disturbance or undesired yarn condition these elements are scanned,whereby immediately the appropriate work cycle is initiated inaccordance with the encountered condition.

With a control mechanism of this type the storage element containing asignal automatically brings about stoppage of the rotatable table,irrespective whether only yarn rupture is to be remedied or whether adelivery copexchange is also necessary. However, this can result in areduction in the efiiciency of the winding machine, particularly then,if, for any given reason, no new delivery cop is ready for the exchangeoperation and the winding station located in front of the tendingapparatus or automatic rfor removing its undesired yarn conditionrequires such a new delivery cop. The standstill time of the table isthen at least as long as is necessary for the apparatus to determine ata report-back or feedback path for example, that this disturbance is notcapable of being corected and, as the case may be, has delivered asignal allowing for continuation of the rotation of the table. The otherwinding stations which in the meantime pos- *sibly exhibit an undesiredyarn condition must, therefore, wait for a relatively long time for theremoval of thei disturbance i.e. undesired yarn condition which, forexample, is only manifested by yarn rupture which can be remedied.

ccordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to providean improved method and control apparatus which in the previouslyexplained situation also prevents unnecessary standstill times.

Another very important object of the present invention relates to theprovision of an improved method and apparatus for increasing theefficiency of automatic winding machines.

Still a further important object of the present invention relates to animproved control apparatus for winding machines which enables blockingof the stopping mechanism for the rotatable table in its ineil'ectualposition for those winding stations which require a new delivery co'pfor removing their undesired yarn condition as soon as appropriatescanning or testing mem ers have determined that no new delivery copsare available in the supply magazine, in order that the remainingwinding stations which still have suiiicient yarn upon their delive ycop and only require a xnotting operation can be unobstructivelyserviced without any delay in time by the automatic provided forremoving undesired yarn conditions.

Generally speaking, the inventive control mechanism is characterized bythe features that monitor means are associated with supply magazine fordelivery bobbins in order to determine the availability of a deliverycop or bobbin in the delivery position thereof. Additionally, switchmeans for the control mechanism are operatively associated with themonitor means in order to prevent interruption of the relative movementbetween the relevant Winding station and automatic in the predeterminedrelative position in spite of exhaustion of the delivery cop of theassociated winding station when the monitor means has not ascertainedthat there is a new delivery cop in the delivery or infeed position.

This control apparatus thereby serves to lock or render inoperable thetable stop mechanism in the event there are not present any new deliverycops and renders it possible that the tending apparatus or automatic forrectifying yarn rupture only still has servicing requirements placedupon it from such winding locations in which the availabie yarn packageupon the deiivery cop permits of a knotting operation, or such isjustifiable.

he inventive method for continually supervising a number of windingstations by means of a monitor or supervising mechanism which scans suchwinding stations is characterized by the features that, when a deliverybobbin or cop is not available in a predetermined supply position asignal is removed and is evaluated as significant information to causecontinuation of the scanning of other winding locations or stations inthe event that the undesired yarn condition appearin at a given windingsta ion and which is to be remedied requires a new delivery cop.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that a number of advantagesare obtained with the inventive method and control apparatus forincreasing the efficiency of automatic winding machines For instance,should the changof the supply magazine with full delivery cops beinterrupted for any given reason, then the automatic can still processall of the delivery bobbins still located upon the other windingstations, for example can perform a knotting operation, without any lossin time with senseless attempts at removing faulty yarn conditions atwindlog stations having a depleted delivery cop. This condition isfavorable for normal winding processes in that the automatic, in spiteof faulty after-feed of full delivery cops, still performs with thegreatest possible cfiicicncy under the given circumstances. Aparticularly great advantage is obtained during change-over to adifferent winding material in that, the automatic or tending apparatusautomatically and within the shortest possible time, processes all ofthe dclivery cops or bobbins.

Other features, objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent by reference to the following detailed description anddrawings, wherein like reference numerals are used throughout thevarious figures for the same or analogous elements and, in which:

FZGURE 1 is a perspective view of an automatic wind-- ing machine;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the bobbin magazine and the indexingor switching mechanism;

FIGURE 3 schematically illustrates a portion of the winding machine;

FIGURE 4 is a front view, somewhat on an enlarged scale, of a detail ofthe winding machine depicted in FEGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is an electric circuit diagram of the control mechanism.

First of all, it should be appreciated that in describing the inventiononly enough of the details of the automatic winding machine will begiven in order to enable one skilled in the art to fully appreciate theunderlying principles thereof. Thus, initially directing attention toFIG- URE 1, wherein an automatic winding machine is schematicallyillustrated, it will be seen that such generally comprises, in itsessential components, a stationary machine base A, a plurality ofwinding stations or locations B arranged at a rotating or revolvingcircular table or turret D, and a machine component defining anautomatic or tending apparatus C arranged directly outside of thesubstantially circular path of travel of the aforesaid winding stationsB. This automatic C incorporates the mechanical and electric switchingcomponents necessary for removal of the faulty yarn condition ordisturbance as well as the actual physical elements for removing suchdisturbance. Generally speaking, this automatic unit or tendingmechanism C, upon yarn rupture or depletion is switched-in so as toeither remedy such yarn rupture or to conduct a new full delivery cop orbobbin 2 from a supply magazine 1 to the relevant winding location B andto then knot the yarn ends. Automatic mechanisms C of the aforenotedtype and suitable for implementing such operations are well known to theart. However, since the invention is not specifically related to detailsthereof, particularly the knotting operation, only enough of itsstructure and operation will be considered in the description to followin order to make the general principles of this invention clearlyunderstandable.

Considering further physical structure of FIGURE 1,

it will be seen that the yarn F travels from a delivery bobbin or cop 2athrough a balloon breaker 5:; simultaneously equipped with a teeterelement (not shown) for determining the presence of the yarn P, suchfceler element for instance corresponding to that of the aforementionedC o-pending United States application, Ser. No. 360,- 226. This feelerelement is operatively associated in any suitable manner with anelectromagnet 13b such that when the yarn is missing the armature 18athereof moves as a stop into the operating zone of a switch 38.Additionally, the yarn F travels through a yarn rupturc feeler 51 which,when yarn rupture occurs, permits movement of the armature 19a of theelectromagnet 191) into the operating zone of a switch 19, in that theelectromagnet 1% has current applied thereto. Since the exact manner inwhich the feeler of the balloon breaker 50 and the yarn rupture feeler51 are operably associated with the c "trornagnets 18b and 191'),respectively, are not consilercd important for understanding theinvention and since such can be performed in any number of possible wayswhich will suggest themselves to those versed in the art, no furtherdetails are here given. By Way of completeness, however, reference maybe made to the previously referred to co-pending United Statesapplication, disclosing such operable association of these feelers withelectrorurtherrnore, the yarn F is guided in known manner viastabilizing and guide plates, and through the agency of the grooved drum52 is delivered to an associated windup bobbin 53. It will beappreciated that the revolving table D is provi' ed with athroughpassing index bolt 57, pushed into a suitable bore 5% (FlGURE 5)of the revolving table D by means of a spring 53. This index bolt 57, aswill be further explained hereinafter with respect to the controlcircuit of FIGURE 5, serves to arrest the table D in properly alignedposition in front of the automatic C. However, before considering thecontrol circuit of FIG- DRE 5 reference will first be made to thephysical structure shown in FIGURES 2 to 4, depicting details of furthercomponents of the winding machine of FIG- UTRE 1.

Now, in FIGURE 2 there is illustrated in simplified manner the switchingor indexing mechanism for performing a step-by-step indexing of thebobbin supply magazine 1 having the delivery bobbins or cops 2 locatedin individual boxes or compartments 2b. An indexing or switching dog orlever 3 and a cam piece 4 are secured to a bolt or shaft 5 which, inturn, is rotatably mounted at an arm 6. This arm d has imparted to it areciprocating movement via a cam plate 9 through the agency of acooperating rod 7, with the number of strokes per revolutioncorresponding to the number of cam surfaces 8 located upon this camplate 9. Moreover, such number of strokes per unit time is alsodetermined by the rotational speed of a drive motor 18 operativelyconnected with a shaft 27 carrying the cam disk 9. If, it is assumed forthe moment, no new delivery bobbin or cop 2 is needed in the preparatoryor ready position 11 of FIGURE 3, then the lever arm 12 via the campiece 4 and the bolt 5 prevents a tension spring i from bringing theindexing dog or lever 3 into the zone of an indexing bolt 13 secured tothe bobbin supply magazine 1. The lever arm 12 provided with the roller12:: is, in turn, prevented from performing a rotational movement via ashaft 15' and an arm 16 bearing against an impact surface or stop means17.

If, now, there is determined by the feelers 5'8, 51 supervising yarntravel that the yarn F is not present in consequence of an emptydelivery cop 2a then the various stop means or armatures Ida and 19a aredeflected by the yarn feelers 5t), 51 which act upon the switches 18 and19, the effect of which will be more fully explained during discussionof the control circuit of PlGURE 5. It will then be noted duringdiscussion of FIGURE 5 that actuation of the switch 13 causes thecoupling 25 lying in this current circuit to be engaged, resulting inentrainment of the control shaft 28 by virtue of the continuouslyrevolving shaft 27. Due to the cam disk 29 connected to the controlshaft 28 a pivotably arranged cop receiver or holder 36 is brought viathe rod or linkage means 31 from a rest position I into a workingposition 11, as best determined by reference to FIGURE 3. By means ofany suitable non-illustrated release mechanism it is possible to insertthe delivery cop onto the retaining spindle 32.

As best seen by inspecting FIGURE 4, a further supervising or monitoringelement, here in the form of a fioor flap or trap door 33, is rockablymounted upon a bolt 34%- at the delivery cop receiver or bin 39.Moreover, a pin 35 is secured to the aforesaid floor flap 33 which isdownwardly pressed by means of a torsion spring 35 located in a recess37 of a lever or pawl 38, and thereby holds the floor flap 33 in itsclosed position, shown in full lines in FIGURE 4 (position III). Uponreturning the delivery bobbin or cop receiver 3% into the rest positionI the lever or pawl 38 and thereby also the floor flap 33 are againrocked upwardly by means of a stirrup or bracket 39 as well as beingsecured due to engagement of a pawl 4t in a ratchet or locking means 42,A cam portion 44 of the floor flap 33 which is then located in the emptyposition III displaces a lever ll and thus actuates the switch 43 andthereby the electromagnet 45. The electromagnet 45 rocks the lever 4-6and thereby frees the arm 16 from the stop means 17, whereby therotating shaft 27 of the automatic together with the cam 47 via the rod48 rotates the arm 16, the shaft and the lever arm 12 with its roller12a and thereby frees the switching lever or pawl 3. The switching lever3 then indexes the bobbin magazine 1 for such length of time until adelivery cop 2 falls into the chute 49 and due to the weight of the copbrings the floor flap or trap door 33 from the empty position III intothe full position IV, corresponding to the displacement path of the pinin the recess 37. The cam portion 44 now releases the lever 41, wherebythe switch 43 interrupts the electromagnet 45. As a result, the lever orpawl 3 is again disengaged and brought out of the zone of the indexingbolt 13 for the bobbin magazine I.

The circuit arrangement of FIGURE 5 is designed to control threedifferent possibilities for removal of a disturbance or faulty yarncondition, namely:

(a) Removal of yarn rupture without exchange of the delivery bobbin orcop,

(b) Removal of yarn rupture with exchange of the delivery cop,

(c) Placing out of operation a winding location after the appearance ofyarn rupture, insofar as such winding location requires an exchange ofthe delivery cop, and in the supply magazine and in the supply channelno full cop is available however, because in this case the disturbancecannot be removed.

These three control possibilities are individually described in greaterdetail hereinafter. In order to more clearly understand the operation,elements having the same or similar function are grouped together intoGroups IV and denoted by the associated phantom line blocks of FIGURE 5.

Group I-Switches, the position of which (open or closed) are determinedby the supervising or monitoring elements, that is from the side of thewinding machine.

Group IIMagnetic coils of the protective control (relays).

Group III-The switches (relay contacts) associated with the magneticcoils (Group II), whereby the contacts inclined to the left correspondto the switched-out relays and those inclined to the right to theswitched-in relays i.e. relay or magnetic coil 23 and contacts2311-2361.

Group 1VAnalogous to Group III, however incorporates relay or magneticcoil 54 and contacts 54a to 540, whereby such relay 54 is provided witha timedelay device 54.

Group VSchematically depicts results obtained via the control.

(at) There will first be considered removal of yarn rupture withoutexchange of the delivery cop or bobbin: The yarn rupture feeler 51,which can be either mechanical or electrical for example, initiatesapplication of current to the electromagnet 1%, whereby the armature1911 thereof springs as a stop into the operating zone of the switch 1?and closes such (Group I). The switch 19 is mounted ahead of thedisturbance removal automatic C if considered with respect to therevolving motion of the winding location B, so that the winding locationat which the disturbance is to be removed can be stopped with respect tothe automatic C. The closed switch 19 applies current to the coil of therelay 23 (Group 11), whereby the associated contacts (Group III) move tothe right. In so doing, the contact 23a is opened, the relay or magneticswitch 55 of the drive motor M for the table D without current andthereby this drive motor M brought to standstill. Likewise, the contact2312 opens and shuts-off the electromagnet 56. As a result, the indexbolt 57 is pushed via the spring 58 into the bore 59 of the revolvingtable D, whereby the exact arresting position of the winding location Bin front of the automatic or tending mechanism C is guaranteed. A switch60 is arranged above the bore 59 which is closed by the index bolt 57piercingly extending through the bore 59. (The relay or magnetic switch55 could also switch over the motor M to a slow operating speed,whereafter the stopping would be effected by means of a contact of theswitch 69.) The closing of the contact 6d (Group I) switches-in anelectromagnetic coupling 61 which operatively connects a shaft e2 withthe continuously revolving shaft 27 driven by the drive motor 16. Thecoupling 61 is constructed such that the shaft 62 only executes acomplete rev0lu tion through 360. Upon the shaft 62 there are seated thenon-illustrated cam disks which actuate the elements for removing yarnrupture in known manner. Additionally, a cam disk 63 (Group I) is seatedupon the shaft 62 which, after completion of the knotting operation,opens the switch 64 and thereby deenergizes the relay 23. As a result,the contacts of Group III move to the left, the magnetic switch 55 againswitches-in the drive motor M, the energized electromagnet 56 pulls theindex bolt 57 out of the bore 59 and thereby opens the switch 60.Consequently, the starting position, that is, the normal windingoperation position is again provided. (The contact 23c serves as aself-holding contact of the relay 23.)

(b) There will now be considered the possibility of removing yarnrupture with exchange of the delivery cop: The exchange of a deliverycop is naturally always associated with a yarn rupture or depletion ofthe yarn. Consequently, the series of operations described under item(a) above are repeated. Additionally, the electromagnet 13b is furnishedwith current by means of the feeler element at the balloon breaker 5dand thereby its armature 18a is brought as a stop means into theoperating zone of the switch 1%. This switch 18 is arranged shortly infront of the switch 19 if considered with respect to the direction ofrevolving of the winding location B, that is, at least through theresponse time of the relay 54 and places the magnet coil of the relay 54under current with a time delay determined by time-delay device 54. As aresult, the associated contacts of Group IV deflect to the right. (Thecontacts of Group III in consequence of the yarn rupture are inclined tothe right.) The switch (contact) 54-]; serves as a self-holding contactfor the relay 54, the contact 54c switches-in the magnetic coupling 25and connects the shaft 28 with the shaft 2'7 in such a manner that theshaft 27 only executes a complete revolution through 360. The cam disk29 is seated upon the shaft 28 which carries out the exchange of thedelivery cop as depicted in FIGURES 2 and 3 already previouslyexplained. The return to the normal winding operation takes place asexplained under section (a) by means of the cam disk 63 and the switch64. It is to be understood that if yarn rupture occurs beneath theballoon breaker such condition will be treated as an exhausted deliverycop since the knottcr cannot operate in this zone and, thus, abobbin-exchange will be initiated.

Finally, there will now be considered the placing out of operation of awinding location which requires a delivery cop-exchange because a copdoes not appear in the preparatory position of the bobbin channel 3t Asdescribed in FIGURES 3 and 4 the switch 23 is in the rest positioninsofar as a cop 2 lies in the bobbin or cop channel 3t) and against itsfloor flap 33. Such corresponds to the position depicted in FIGJRE 5where the switch d3 bears against the contact it no cop is available inthe bobbin. or cop channel 3 6 then the lever 4-1 presses against theswitch 43 (FIGURE 3). As a result, the Contact 43a is opened and thecontact is closed, the magnet 45 subject to current and the bobbinmagazine 1 indexed in stepwise manner as explained in conjunction withFIGURES 2 to 4, until a full cop 2 falls out of the magazine 1 into thebobbin channel 3:? and onto its fioor flap 33. In order to prevent thatan empty bobbin magazine 1 will be continuously indexed, a timeswitchout relay (not shown) can be arranged in the current circuit of theelectromagnet 45 which, for example, after a revolution of the magazineswitches out the indexing mechanism for the bobbin Suppl magazine 1(FIGURE 1). If, now, the switch 43 bears against the contact 43!: inconsequence of the absence of a cop in tr e bobbin channel 3% (emptyposition) and if a delivery cop-exchange is requested by the switch 18,that is, the relay 54 is energized, then its contact 5 5:: is open andthereby the yarn rupture-current circuit to the relay 23 interrupted.The contacts of Group ill remain in their position inclined to the left,the magnetic switch 55 and the electromagnet 56 remain under current andthereby also the drive motor M for the table The relevant windingstation B is not stopped, rather passes the disturbance removalautomatic C, that is, this winding station E is automatically placed outof operation.

Consequently, the subsequent winding locations can be scanned withoutunnecessary delay as to their condition, and insofar as there isdetermined yarn rupture with sumcient yarn supply at the associateddelivery cop then such can be remedied.

While there is shown and described present preferred embodiments of theinvention it is to be distinctly under stood that the invention is notlimited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practisedwithin the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

Method for the continuous supervision of a number of winding stations bymeans of a monitoring mechanism for scanning such winding stations,wherein each said winding station carries out a relative movement withrespect to a tending apparatus at which any given winding station couldnormally stop in order to correct a faulty yarn condition which mayappear at said given winding station, comprising the steps of: testingfor the presence of a delivery cop in a predetermined common supplyposition for said number of winding stations, deriving a signal when adelivery cop is not present at said common predetermined supplyposition, and employing said derived signal to cause any given windingstation at which a faulty yarn condition has occurred which wouldrequire replacement of its delivery cop to fail to halt at said tendingapparatus inasmuch as no delivery cop is available at said predeterminedsupply position which could be used for replacement purposes.

2. Method for increasing the efficiency of automatic winding machineshaving a number or rotating winding stations which move past a tendingapparatus at which any given winding station could normally stop inorder to corrcct for a faulty yarn condition which may occur at saidgiven winding station, and monitoring means for scanning the individualwinding stations in order to determine the presence of a faulty yarncondition which may occur at any given winding station, such as yarnrupture or the requirement for a new delivery cop, comprising the stepsoi: scanning the individual rotating winding stations in order todetermine the presence of a faulty yarn condition which might appear atany given winding station, upon the appearance of a faulty yarncondition at a given winding station detern'riuing whether such is yarnrupture or the requirement for a new delivery cop, testing for thepresence of a new delivery cop in a predetermined common supply positionfor all of said winding stations, deriving a signal when a delivery copis not present at said predet rmined common supply position, andemploying said derived signal to prevent stopping of a given windingstation at said tending apparatus if it is determined that the faultyyarn condition at said given winding station is one requiring a newdelivery cop.

3. Method for increasing the etliciency of automatic winding machinesaccording to claim 2 including the step or arresting said given windingstation at said tending apparatus if it is determined that the faultyyarn condition is yarn rupture which can be corrected by a knottingoperation.

4. Control device for increasing the ehlciency of automatic windingmachines having a number of winding sta ions comprising a supplymagazine for new delivery cops, means defining a preparatory deliveryposition for receiving a new delivery cop from said supply magazinewhich can be delivered to any one of said number of winding stations,supervising means for determining the presence of a new delivery cop insaid delivery position, control circuit means operably coupled with saidsupervising means, said control circuit means including means responsiveto said supervising means for preventing stoppage of a given windingstation at which there has been determined the necessity for a newdelivery cop when said supervising means has determined that no newdelivery cop is present at said delivery position.

5. Control device for increasing the etliciency of auto matic Windingmachines having a number of winding stations comprising a supplymagazine for new delivery cops, means defining a preparatory commondelivery position for receiving a new delivery cop from said supplymagazine which can be delivered to any one of said number of windingstations, supervising means for determining the presence of a newdelivery cop in said delivery position, control circuit means operablycoupled with said supervising means, said control circuit meansincluding means for stopping a given winding station when it isdetermined that a knotting operation is required thereat and means forstopping a given winding station when it is determined that a newdelivery cop is required thcrcat and a new delivery cop is in saidcommon delivery position, said control circuit means further includingmeans responsive to said supervising means for preventing stoppage of agiven winding station at which there has been determined the necessityfor a new delivery cop when said supervising means has determined thatno new delivery cop is present at said common delivery position.

6. Control device for increasing the efficiency of automatic windingmachines as defined in claim 5 wherein said supervising meansincorporates a pivotably mounted flap.

7. Control device for increasing the efficiency of automatic windingmachines as defined in claim 6 wherein said common delivery positiondefining means comprises a common delivery cop guide channel for all ofsaid winding stations, said flap being pivotably mounted at the lowerend of said common guide channel.

8. Control device for increasing the eiiiciency of automatic windingmachines as defined in claim 7, said control circuit means includingswitch means responsive to the position of said flap.

Control device for increasing the efiiciency of automatic windingmachines as defined in claim 5 including an indexing mechanism forindexing said supply magazine until a new delivery cop appears in saidcommon delivery position.

10. Control device for increasing the efficiency of automatic windingmachines as defined in claim 9 further including means for renderingineffective said indexing mechanism when a new delivery cop appears atsaid common delivery position.

11. Control device for increasing the efiiciency of automatic windingmachines as defined in claim it? wherein said means for renderingineffective said indexing mechanism includes a blocking lever system.

12. Control device for increasing the eificiency of automatic Windingmachines as defined in claim 11 including an electromagnet cooperatingwith said blocking lever system for releasing the latter when a newdelivery cop does not appear in said delivery position.

13. in combination, an automatic winding machine having a number ofwinding stations, an automatic unit for removing faulty yarn conditionsat the winding stations, such as yarn rupture or the requirement for anew delivery cop, said automatic unit and said winding stations beingrelatively movable, at least one supply magazine for new delivery cops,means providing a preparatory common delivery position for receiving anew delivery cop from said supply magazine, which may be delivered toany one of said winding stations, supervising means for determining thepresence of a new delivery cop in said common delivery position, controlcircuit means operably coupled with said supervising means, said controlcircuit means including means for interrupting the relative movement ata given winding station when it is determined that a knotting operationis required thereat and means for interrupting the relative movement ata given winding station when it is determined that a new delivery cop isrequired thereat and a new delivery cop is in said common deliveryposition, said control circuit eans further including means responsiveto said supervising means for preventing interruption of said relativemovement at a given winding station at which there has been determinedthe necessity for a new delivery cop when said supervising means hasdetermined that no new delivery cop is present at said common deliveryposition.

14. The combination according to claim 13 further including yarn feelermeans provided at each winding station and cooperating with said controlcircuit means.

15. In combination, an automatic winding machine having a number ofwinding stations, an automatic unit for removing faulty yarn conditionsat the winding stations, such as yarn rupture or the requirement for anew delivery cop, said automatic unit and said winding stations beingrelatively movable, at least one supply magazine for new delivery cops,means providing a preparatory common delivery position for receiving anew delivery cop from said supply magazine which may be delivered to anyone of said winding stations, supervising means for determining thepresence of a new delivery cop in said common delivery position, controlcircuit means operably coupled with said supervising means, said controlcircuit means including means for interrupting the relative movement ata given winding station when it is determined that a knotting operationis required thereat and means for interrupting the relative movement ata given winding station when it is determined that a new delivery cop isrequired thereat and 'a new delivery cop is in said common deliveryposition, said control circuit means further including means responsiveto said supervising means for preventing interruption of said relativemovement at a given Winding station at which there has been determinedthe necessity for a new delivery cop when said supervising means hasdetermined that no new delivery cop is present at said common delivelyposition, all of said winding stations continuing their windingoperation even if no delivery bobbin is available at said commondelivery position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,030,040 4/ 1962 Reiners 242-3563,077,311 2/1963 Furst 242-355 3,111,280 11/1963 Reiners et al 24235.53,160,358 12/1964 Furst 242.-35.5 3,182,922 5/1965 Mullers 242-35.5

WILLIAM S. BURDEN, Primary Examiner.

4. CONTROL DEVICE FOR INCREASING THE EFFICIENCY OF AUTOMATIC WINDINGMACHINES HAVING A NUMBER OF WINDING STATIONS COMPRISING A SUPPLYMAGAZINE FOR NEW DELIVERY COPS, MEANS DEFINING A PREPARATORY DELIVERYPOSITION FOR RECEIVING A NEW DELIVERY COP FROM SAID SUPPLY MAGAZINEWHICH CAN BE DELIVERED TO ANY ONE OF SAID NUMBER OF WINDING STATIONS,SUPERVISING MEANS FOR DETERMINING THE PRESENCE OF A NEW DELIVERY COP INSAID DELIVERY POSITION, CONTROL CIRCUIT MEANS OPERABLY COUPLED WITH SAIDSUPER-